Identity Crisis Among African Americans - 1618 Words

Khyandria Celestine Professor Sandra Staton-Taiwo Identity Crisis amongst African Americans 17 November 2014 Abstract The question of self-identity has been commonly argued in field of the African American literature; with scholars such as Martin R. Delany and W.E.B Du Bois argue about the emphasis on race and racial consciousness. Together Du Bois and Delaney stress the importance of the color line, or the racial segregation in the United States, as a critical part of American history; nonetheless they both had completely dissimilar thoughts on the subject. Du Bois placed more emphasizes on double consciousness. He was concerned that African Americans put superiority of one part of their heritage over the other. On the other hand, Delaney argues that the major problem with identity is the separation and how it was derived from slavery. However, these arguments have not effectively addressed the issue of defining one’s identity. My paper addresses the issue of successfully identifying what we consider ‘African Americans’ with special attention to why there was once only Black an d White with no shades of gray in America. Specifically, in my argument, I will be examining the monolithic labels, e.g. black, placed on people of African descendants, in order to show how history has failed to correctly identify ‘African Americans.’ I will discuss self-identity and consciousness, and juxtapose them against race and ethnicity, in order to reveal the previously misunderstoodShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Sexual Identity Development1243 Words   |  5 Pages The sexual orientation identity development is a theoretical model that conceptualized the resolution of internal conflict related to the formation of individual sexual identity. For sexual minority people, it is commonly known as the coming-out process (Bilodeau Renn 2005). There have been many different models elaborated to explain such process. All of them share similar stages: awareness, crisis, and acceptance (Loiacano 1989). When individuals become aware of their queer feelings and att ractionRead MoreSurge Of Identity Through The Tobacco Industry Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesSurge of identity through the tobacco industry The 1960’s is infamous for its sense of freedom: the age of the hippies, bell bottoms, long free hair, rock n’ roll and love. Though, what people do not bluntly address is the lack of representation among the African American society. Fear harnessed the 1960’s with the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, and the assassinations of both John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King. In a way for the people to cope with the fear and anger of what was going on, peopleRead MoreRacial Identity : Early American History1440 Words   |  6 PagesAustin Dubble Professor Carol Jenkins Politics of Identity 7 September 2014 Racial Identity in Early American History The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines identity as â€Å"the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others† (MWD). In other words, the characteristics which makes a person unique is the identity that they associate with. Black, white, Indian or Latino; gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight; man, woman or transgender; young, middle aged or old; ChristianRead MoreThe Race, Culture, Identity : Misunderstood, Questions Racial Labeling Of All Sorts859 Words   |  4 Pages Kwame Anthony Appiah’s The race, Culture, Identity: Misunderstood, questions racial labeling of all sorts. What is the difference between race, ethnicity and culture? Appiah reevaluates people’s ways of thinking, which encourages his readers to think outside of the norms to analyze what their definition of race is. He argues that if one rejects the existence of racism, which is the idea that there are distinctions of our species, then that person cannot adhere to the fact that there are hereditaryRead MoreStrivings of the Negro People Essay1193 Words   |  5 Pagesbecame the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard. He wrote extensively and was the best known spokesperson for African American rights during the first half of the 20th century. Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909. He died in Ghana in 1963. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, better known as W.E.B. Du Bois, was born on February 23, 1868 , in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. While growing up in a mostly European American town, W.E.B.Read MoreNegative Depictions Of Black Culture For Being Welfare Queen873 Words   |  4 Pageshow many African –Americans were under arrest. From there, I concluded my so called ‘final analyses’ about the black community. Even though I am black, I always ‘othered’ black American because of their negative culture. I saw myself as culturally different and I got mad when someone mistook me for African-American. I live in the Harlem area, which is predominantly black, and I never had an African-American friend. I never associated myself with one also. I am mostly attached to my African communityRead MoreEuropean Immigration Policies And The Economic Crisis1225 Words   |  5 Pages European Immigration Policies and the Economic Crisis The Eurozone economic crisis began at the end of 2009. Essentially, the failure of the Euro caused huge problems in southern European countries (such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Italy). After the introduction of the Euro, these countries suddenly had the credit to borrow money like they hadn’t had before. They extravagantly increased spending with this borrowed money, which at first boosted the economy but eventually led to massive debtsRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1539 Words   |  7 Pagesthat perpetuates a disproportionate marginalization of low-class, particularly African American citizens. The declaration of a â€Å"War on Drugs,† upon surface inspection, addressed the American public in its entirety. The issue that the speech and the coinciding initiative sought to resolve was drug use in American society, which was becoming an increasing problem, particularly in African American communities and among Vietnam War protesters. The speech occurred in 1971 during the Vietnam War, andRead MoreObama s First African American President Of The United States1518 Words   |  7 Pages Barack Hussein Obama Jr, the first African American President of the United States, was born on August the 4th 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Obama’s birth is considered as an important turning point for African American’s in history, he was the first African American to serve as a United States president. Barack Obama is currently the 44th president of the United States. He was raised in a middle class family with education being the core of their lives and had very noble values. Obama was a graduateRead MoreEducation Has Always Been An Imperative Aspect Of The1627 Words   |  7 PagesEducation has always been   an imperative aspect of the American identity. To be educated is to be successful. Despite the emphasis that is placed on education,   there are certain barriers that have stalled the equal distribution of knowledge. One of those major barriers is racism. The United States of America has had institutionalized racism in schools for decades; with more advantage s being offered to white students instead of minorities. Thankfully, things have   greatly changed since the days of